Barnaby simply 'embarrassed'

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The cancellation of the NHL season hasn't stopped Matthew Barnaby from throwing a few jabs.

The Blackhawks tough guy told the Sun yesterday the he's "embarrassed" the league and the NHL Players' Association weren't able to come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement and save the year.

IN DISBELIEF

Speaking from his home in Buffalo, Barnaby isn't happy with the fact NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the year after the players decided to give in and accept a hard salary cap last Monday.

"I'm embarrassed by this whole thing. I'm embarrassed for the league. I'm embarrassed for the players and I'm embarrassed for the owners because this whole thing could have been avoided," said Barnaby.

"This sucks. It's terrible and it hasn't really set in yet. I look ahead and we're going to have to wait eight months before we even have a chance of playing hockey again. That's a long time to wait. Who knows what's next?

"I can't believe it. Obviously, we've been prepared for this to happen, but I thought we made major moves to try to get a deal done by accepting a cap and then nothing got done. That's the frustrating part."

Barnaby said he doesn't understand why it took so long for the NHL to move off its position of a hard cap with a link to revenue and for the NHLPA to make its best offer.

"What bothers me is that both sides went so long without talking," said Barnaby. "I know that they say you get best deal at the deadline, but I don't understand why something couldn't have been done four months ago."